The burgers at Santa Rosa’s Hey Misstir Bar & Grill are intimidating, even to an experienced eater. It’s not just the sheer size of these towering beefscrapers, but the carnivorous radicalism of a poultry, pork and beef menage a trois under a single bun. At a bar.
Now, readers have been extolling the virtues of this hidden bar on the outskirts of Rincon Valley. But after years of being burnt by reheated mozzarella sticks and mushy fries at neighborhood watering holes, we’ve been slow on the uptake.
However, on a crowded Tuesday night, mustering smiles as we walked past pool tables and gruff-around-the edges patrons and plopping ourselves on barstools, it was clear we were in for an off-the-beaten-path food experience.
Behold the Pork Belly Burger, which I’ve dubbed the Moo, Cluck, Oink and will break down layer by layer: Toasted Franco American bun, mayo, fried egg, bacon, pork-belly stuffed hamburger, requisite vegetables, toasted bun.
With a side of buffalo wing sauce-slathered fries (topped of course with blue cheese crumbles), it’s a cardiac nightmare, so bring an army to help you eat it. In fact, the food disposal called my teenage son declared the burger “too rich” to eat even half. A few bites are all you need for the profound experience of this $13.50 burger.
There’s a laundry list of other ridiculous burgers, made with the chef’s special grind of black Angus, short rib, chuck and brisket, including the Black and Bleu (balsamic onions, blue cheese, bacon) and Juicy Lucy, which is cheese sandwiched between two quarter pound patties. Plus cheese steak, homemade chili, homemade lumpia (Filipino egg rolls) and fried pickles.
We’re kind of astounded at this little gem, but it won’t stay under the radar long. Happy hour menu from 4-7 p.m., kitchen open daily from 11 a.m. to around 10 p.m., 52 Mission Circle, Suite 111, Santa Rosa, facebook.com/heymisstir.